The Mayhem RG alluded to at the driver's meeting

Surprised that nobody has told the story of this incident. Robby Gordon alluded to this story during the driver’s meeting. I wasn't there but according to people who were, this is the story:

The evening before the race, General Tire/KORE’s Kent Kroeker, his co-driver Jeremy Graczyck, KORE’s Colt Hubble and Jeremy’s dad, Jim were prerunning the start in KORE’s “TRX 4” – an uncaged, Ram 1500 moderately equipped with a radio and decent suspension. They were out to slowly recon the start a final time in order to identify booby traps, program some waypoints and make note of anything new.
About 20 miles from Ensenada, a trophy truck came up on them, hard on the horn at 70% race pace. Kroeker moved over in time and let them pass, remarking that, “****! The ****ing race is tomorrow morning.”

Five minutes later they crest a blind hill and find the TT rolled and, for the most part, destroyed. Another vehicle is also crushed and almost unidentifiable. Civilian traffic – some kind of mini van. An obvious head on collision, the result of the TT cresting the blind hill, as the co-driver stated, “going only 50 mph”.

The TT driver and co driver are wandering around, unhurt in a zombie daze. The mini van is upside down, smoldering. Kroeker and Graczyck climb into the smoking vehicle, shouting orders. Jim and Colt secure the area from oncoming traffic, call EMT/Police and disconnect the battery.

Inside is a guy trapped in the crushed metal. He’s upside down with the dash and firewall crushing his legs. He’s bleeding out fast from his left arm which has severe lacerations, is 7/8 amputated with exposed bone and muscle just below the shoulder, brachial artery pumping him out. Kroeker gets under the guy and applies upward pressure on his torso with one hand, so he can breathe and compresses the open amputation with the other. The only thing holding the arm on was some tendon, the artery and some crushed bone.

Graczyck uses Kroeker’s knife to cut some seatbelt, throws it to Kroeker who tourniquets the artery. Colt tosses Kroeker a large screw driver to torque down the tourniquet. Graczyck makes a time hack, gets the guy’s age and name, vitals from Kroeker and writes it in his notebook. Kroeker talks the guy through – “hey buddy, you’re going to be fine- no big deal. Where are you from? I’m going to touch your ass – it’s not because I’m attracted to you, I’m checking your pelvic girdle for some things (creptitus) – just seeing where we need to keep pressure- you’re going to be fine…”

Most of the guy’s lower chin is torn off, Kroeker is laying under him in the broken glass, applying upward pressure, Graczyck is tearing apart the dash, ripping the seats out. Kroeker is a pilot and a FAC and Graczyck is a special operations JTAC – same school – ground Marines - close air support – from inside the car (still smoldering) they’re shouting orders to establish a DZ in the nearby field, get our VHF radio frequency to the supporting agency and start a fire with wet wood to give signal for a talk on.
Kroeker and Graczyck are the only Americans on scene who speak Spanish.
The locals comply. Colt (another Marine Officer) tells them they won’t launch a life flight from Brown Field for some reason or another. Somehow some O2 shows up and Colt gets it on the guy’s face.
Jeremy and Kroeker’s hands and arms are covered in cuts from pulling apart the car. The guy’s blood is everywhere. Smells like a fresh gut pile. They continue to pull the car apart. Mexican Police arrive first, then Mexican EMT. This is about 1.5-2 hours after the Marines arrive on scene.

Up to this point all this is pretty standard expeditionary, combat medicine. Stop the bleeding, start the breathing, protect the wound, treat for shock – ingrained in every Marine from day one- totally routine, JV-level stuff, all happening in a permissive environment (i.e. nobody is shooting at them while this is happening).

This is where it gets weird: At least six Mexican EMTs show up and stand around scratching their heads and assessing for about 30 minutes while Gracyzyck and Kroeker are telling them what to do in Spanish from inside the vehicle. Finally Kroeker gets out and tasks the TT co driver with holding up the vic’s body, so he can breathe. Kroeker then finds the Mex in charge, tells him to shore up the vehicle, find the jaws of life, pry bars etc. Colt and Jim actually show them how to use the equipment – where to attach the pneumatics etc. Kroeker places the jaws, gets back in the vehicle, moves his hands up the guy’s legs to his ankles and holds his hands on his feet while telling the jaws operator how far to expand. He gets one leg free and the guy is screaming in pain. Kroeker is now laying under him again, bench-pressing his torso up while freeing his leg and applying pressure on his armpit.

From inside the vehicle on the opposite side, Graczyck is backbriefing the EMT on time of incident, vitals and telling the EMT where and how to insert an IV and what meds to administer. Finally they get the other leg free and a back board inside the car. It takes Graczyck, Kroeker and two EMTs to move the vic upward onto the board and get him into a cervical collar.

They get the guy into the Ambulance and help the EMTs clean up the scene. The vic’s mother is on scene, Kroeker briefs her on what to do – there are two good hospitals in Ensendada and several clinics. Make sure he gets to a hospital and not a clinic. Permit the indig doctors to get him stable and wounds clean then immediately extract to San Diego. Do not permit the Mexicans to do surgery.

Robby Gordon is watching. This is what he was talking about at the meeting.

Anyway, that’s what happened. The latest news is that even though the guy's arm was hanging by a piece of meat the size of your thumb for many hours, it looks like it will be able to be saved. The guy is going to lose most if not all of his triceps however. He's not out of the woods yet. Broken pelvis, numerous open fractures, etc.

Moral of the story is this:
1. Americans behaving poorly cause most of the problems during race time. The race is a big deal but you DO NOT own the road. We need to stop tolerating donkey behavior, even if the donkey is a 'big name' TT driver.
2. In Mex, you’re pretty much on your own; you better have your s#!t wired. Your life might depend on me being prepared, and my life might depend you YOU being prepared. Nobody is coming to save you like in the US.

Kudos to Kroeker and Graczyck. Myself a 3 other guys, all firemen, pit for the #49 TT at all the Mexico races. So far we have had to stop and render services a couple times.....not a fun deal when you come down to mexico for a little R&R. As a matter of fact, on the way to BOLA on Wednesday night, a class 1 team towing there 4 seater pretty much took up all the road coming straight at us until he realized he was in our lane and quickly made the adjustment. I'd hate to think it could have been us lying in the ditch bleeding to death because some idiot isn't paying attention to the road.....a NARROW road...in the middle of Mexico....
Anyways, i'm glad to say we all made it home safe and so did all my friends.....the last one arriving this evening. Careful driving down there boys, Mexico is tough enough without us making it worse. Kudos again Kent.

wow scary situation... glad to hear that for the most part the civilian will make a stable recovery. Thoughts and prayers go out to him, his family and all involved. thank goodness Kroeker and Graczyck knew what to do. they should feel proud. They saved his life.

Thank you to the Marine training the HERO's had. Thank a veteran every chance you get. they are all hero's!

HARVEYMotor SportsDirt's for racing, asphalt's for getting there!!!Mike HarveyOff Roaders Like It Rough, Dirty, and Fast!!!"I don't care how much I scrub and scrub, they just don't make water hot enough to get rid of the racers itchy plague! Once u get the disease theres no turning back"!!! hahahahaha

Terrible tragedy, thankfully those Marines were there and had the training to handle the situation properly. I've lost family in gruesome car accidents, it's beyond what words can describe. Glad the guy escaped with his life, that is priceless and the Marines should be proud and recognized in some way. Whoever the TT driver is, well, I'll keep my comments to myself on that one. I'm sure he feels the weight of what he's responsible for.

for not being there, your memory of details told to you is astounding zam and you really describe events and write well. those guys are legit heroes doing what they do in a truly unfortunate and regrettable situation. we won't learn to appreciate what we have til it's gone acting like idiots in someone's neighborhood because we think we're somethin' special and are immune to anything resembling having to be respectful to our hosts. prerun like we know what we're doing and be more damn careful and pay attention to what we're supposed to be doing and act like professionals instead of creating "mayhem" like prima donna, spoiled rotten, pain in the asses or it'll all end. thanks for the post zam. you really do write well. i hope someone get's it.

Very good post Zambo, KORE motorsports did a great thing and a great job doing it! marines are the chit. Ive gotten alot of respect for kent in the past couple years and this was a huge boost! and some people need to realize this isnt short course and the track is open, we dont own the roads, they do. should of come ready to race. Good to hear about the victim.

That why it should not just take money to drive in the upper classes you should have to go through a rookie course before you can drive a deadly weapon, i just don,t get it.You cant just go to formula 1 and race because you have money.....

Very good post Zambo, KORE motorsports did a great thing and a great job doing it! marines are the chit. Ive gotten alot of respect for kent in the past couple years and this was a huge boost! and some people need to realize this isnt short course and the track is open, we dont own the roads, they do. should of come ready to race. Good to hear about the victim.

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One can be an idiot in any class! Kore folks are true American heroes for stepping up and going into action and carring it through to the end of the incodent. I wouldn't down the locals to much on this. I'm pretty sure their level of experiance in a high speed head on like that is rather limited. When your a emergancy responder and care is being given at a scene you have to decide in a very quick way wether or not to take over care. If care is being given by someone who seems to be doing better then what you can, then you best assist in the betterment of the patient. I have been on many scenes in my 19 yr career of KCFD and seen what happens. I've been that leed EMT before on many cases. I've heard I'm a nurse or I'm a doctor. I've had to ask then are you willing to sign off as primary care giver leagaly right now? Are you trained in emergancy medicine? I've seen paramedics that had to take over in a regular MD office on codes before. I can picture what a ugly scene that was. Again true HEROES to those guys!!!!!